Govt unearths a scum on exploitative retirees
Choma, July 8, 2013, ZANIS –GOVERNMENT has uncovered a scum involving some unpaid retirees in Livingstone who are planning to protest during next month’s United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly to be hosted in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
ZANIS reports from Choma that Labour minister Fackson Shamenda disclosed this in Choma yesterday when he called on Southern Province permanent secretary Bernard Namachila.
This follows a fact finding mission undertaken to the tourist capital by the minister and senior officials in the ministry who included permanent secretary Trevor Kunda and labour commissioner Cecilia Mulindeti Kamanga.
Mr. Shamenda said some over 200 aggrieved retirees who have not been paid their dues since 1998 plan to protest against government, warning that if not forestalled this would undermine the successful hosting of the UNWTO activities.
He said during his visit to Livingstone, he had discovered that if labour issues are not handled properly, the country would suffer an embarrassing situation of protests by aggrieved workers.
Mr. Shamenda said there is therefore an urgent need to quickly resolve matters that can trigger industrial unrest during the event that would be attended by international delegates.
The minister is also disturbed to learn that there is no single labour officer in Livingstone following the relocation of the provincial capital to Choma.
Mr. Shamenda said Livingstone is a busy town with a lot of economic activities to be left unmanned.
The minister has since directed his Permanent secretary Trevor Kaunda, and the labour commissioner Cecilia Mulindeti Kamanga to immediately deploy a labour officer in Livingstone.
He said there is no way Choma can have two labour officers when Livingstone has none.
And southern province permanent secretary Bernard Namachila has assured the minister that measures would be taken to forestall the planned disturbances during the upcoming UNWTO general assembly slated for the tourist capital next month.